Tree Cassyn Vannin (Three Legs of Man)
A dance for 6 devised by the Manx Folk Dance Society to celebrate the Millennium of Tynwald.
Walk on order – 3 & 4
1 & 2
5 & 6
Walk on in pairs to make a star in 3 legs shape from above, odds holding evens by the waist with right hand and evens with left hand on odd’s shoulder.
RH Star with 3 mrs, on 4th mrs half a turn to dance a LH star 3mrs.
On 4thmrs turn as a pair to face out. The dancers now make a triangle.
3 steps to R (side, in front, side) and balance. Repeat to L and R.
1 mrs to turn sideways on.
2 steps as above to R and L, 2 x step and balance, 1 mrs to face in and make a circle holding hands.
1 mrs in and 1 out, odds dance 1 mrs in while evens dance 1 mrs moving back a little and forward the same amount. Odds dance 1 mrs on the spot raising their arms while evens dance 1 mrs in, coming underneath the arms of the odds and join hands.
Set dances round in a circle with a rocking step (Mags) to place, ending in 2 lines:
5 4
6 3
1 2
Arm R, linking elbows with opposite, 2 mrs, then make 2 LH stars: 1,2,3 and 4,5,6 for 2 mrs.
Arm L with opposite then make 2 RH stars: 1,2,6 and 3,4,5 for 2 mrs finishing in lines
Heys along lines -8mrs
With partner and with set in triangle formation hold hands and dance 2 high reel steps then 2mrs for a full turn to the right
Repeat on left but turn further to meet dancer coming towards you – odds go anticlockwise and evens go clockwise.
Odds draw evens out, turn evens under and draw back into set and pivot
Move on to next dancer and repeat
Move on to partner, taking Manx waltz hold, turn with 4 mrs
Make star as at beginning but odds holding evens’ hands and evens’ arms behind odds’ backs for 3mrs. Odds turn evens under and finish.
Finish positions to be discussed